Queens of Cosplay
by sakurademonalchemist
Summary: Uzume never expected to find her Ashikabi so easily...or that she would be only nine. Hayate is definitely nothing like she expected. So when Hayate ends up being in the center of a rather mysterious plot involving a strange book with chains, Uzume is determined not to lose her destined one to a pair of scheming mages without a fight! Can Hayate survive even more madness?
1. Chapter 1

_**Happy Birthday**_ _ **Have a Little Feith!**_

 _ **Also, as requested I have made some more new Nanoha crossovers for two of my other fans!**_

* * *

Uzume was out and about after she had secured yet another hapless Sekirei couple with Miya. She would return once she had finished grocery shopping for the Inn.

For months she had dreamed of what her Ashikabi would be like. Would they be kind? Would they have the same hobbies and interests as she did? Would they care that she didn't exactly have a _bloodless_ past? She had burned quite a few bridges when she killed those scientists and guards helping Matsu escape with that stupid crystal.

Considering all she had done, and all the thoughts of what they could be like, it was only natural it took her a few moments to realize she was reacting to someone close by. A fated encounter as it were.

So imagine her shock when she realized she was reacting to a girl not even ten. A girl with kind eyes and a wheelchair. A girl who was clearly an orphan.

Who was having trouble reaching the higher shelves.

Seizing on a chance to at least get to know the kid, seeing as how she was apparently her Ashikabi, Uzume helped her out.

"Thank you!"

"Not a problem!" said Uzume cheerfully. Okay, a prepubescent kid stuck in a wheelchair was not what she had in mind, but never let it be said Uzume couldn't go with the flow.

So what if Uzume discreetly asked the girl a few innocent questions, or immediately had Matsu look her up the second she was home.

Hayate Yagami. Orphan, nine years old and currently living alone in a house registered to someone from England. And, according to her medical records, a victim of an unknown paralysis that has been baffling the doctors for months. But there was one detail Matsu found that had Uzume rather glad she had landed the girl as her Ashikabi.

Hayate was a frequent visitor to cosplay websites and even submitted drawings of the most adorable outfits.

Uzume, in her mind, had hit the jackpot! Someone who had the same hobby she did!

Miya, however, was less than pleased. Uzume had a nine-year-old Ashikabi, and Sekirei _lived_ on their master's love. How would a child react to having to deal with an overly amorous Sekirei like Uzume?

* * *

Hayate was about to head to bed when she realized there was someone on the veranda outside. The person was covered in what looked like veils of cloth. She had a sizable chest, and from what little she could see, brown hair.

Hayate carefully rolled her chair outside. Nearby she saw a man wearing a black overcoat and mask, with pale ash gray hair.

"Are you sure she's your Ashikabi?" he asked. His eyes were kind, but he smelled of smoke.

"Considering I'm still reacting, yes."

"Ano...who are you and why are you at my house?"

The female bent down so Hayate could be at eye level...relatively speaking.

"Do you believe in aliens?" she asked.

"Yes. I find it silly to believe that this planet is the only one with intelligent life," said Hayate.

"Would you believe me if I said that there's a species of humanoid aliens that have the ability to find their destined one, regardless of age, race, or even gender? And that they have fantastic powers fueled by love?"

Hayate squinted. That voice sounded really familiar.

"Aren't you that lady from the market earlier?"

The veiled woman winced.

"She's got you there Uzume," said the man.

"Shut it Homura. I didn't ask you to come," snapped Uzume, pulling off the top veil to reveal her face. Homura snorted.

"Miya demanded I escort you the second she found out your possible Ashikabi was a _child_ ," said Homura.

"I'm not Matsu!" said Uzume, sounding offended that this 'Miya' actually thought she would pounce on her Ashikabi when it was clear they were wheelchair bound.

"Um...what's going on here?"

Uzume looked sheepish. She had almost forgotten about why they had come all this way out here.

"I'm a Sekirei, a type of alien that can...react...to their Ashikabi, or destined one. And earlier I was reacting to you," explained Uzume.

"But I'm only nine!" said Hayate, eyes wide.

"I know. Unfortunately reacting to someone doesn't exactly hold off just because someone is underage. However that doesn't mean we'd get up to anything until you're at _least_ fifteen or so," said Uzume quickly.

"Miya would kill you otherwise," said Homura. Uzume shot him a look, telling him to shut up.

Hayate took a deep breath, before focusing on something that had been bugging her ever since she saw the outfit Uzume wore.

"How are you holding those veils up? Is it a special stitch or do you use clothes pins?"

Uzume had a carefree grin on her face.

"That's my power. I can control cloth. And it means I can wear this without any of it slipping," said Uzume proudly.

Hayate's eyes gleamed, her inner designer seeing the potential possibilities.

"Can you control _any_ piece of cloth?"

"Pretty much, as long as I'm in contact with it and under my Norito," said Uzume.

"So how does one become an Ashikabi?" asked Hayate. No way was she passing up a chance to finally bring some of her more daring creations to life!

"With a kiss," said Uzume, suddenly blushing. Hayate blushed too...she never expected her first kiss would be given to an alien! But Uzume seemed really nice.

And the wings that sprang from Uzume's back were really interesting and gave Hayate all sorts of ideas for costumes.

"Now the only question is what to do with you two," muttered Homura.

Hayate cocked her head.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean are you alright with Uzume moving in with you, or do you want to come live at the Inn with her? Ashikabi and Sekirei really shouldn't be too far apart from each other once they've made a connection. It leads to pain on the Sekirei's part," explained Homura.

"What Inn?"

"I live at Izumo Inn with a couple of friends of mine, including Mr. Broody over here," said Uzume. Hayate giggled at the affronted look Homura had on his face.

"Maybe I could visit the Inn and see what it's like," said Hayate. It sounded like more fun than a dinner alone. Again.

Homura took out a cell phone and called someone, presumably 'Miya'.

"She said she'd set another place at the table."

"Um...how are we going to reach the inn? I didn't hear a car..." asked Hayate.

"Are you afraid of heights or flying in general?" asked Uzume, almost like she was commenting on the weather.

"Not really," said Hayate, wondering why she would ask.

Uzume, with some help from Homura, managed to get Hayate settled onto her back.

What happened next firmly cemented Hayate's love of thrill rides, among other things. Uzume practically flew from roof to roof using nothing but her legs while maintaining a firm hold on Hayate the entire time. It was like they were flying!

Seeing the grin on the little girl's face, Uzume replied with one of her own.

Hayate was a little darling. Miya was instantly charmed by the girl's personality. She was polite, well mannered, and she had a delightful Kansai accent. She would have helped with the dishes, except Uzume forgot the wheelchair and the sink was too high up.

Now came the question. Should Uzume move into Hayate's house, or should Hayate move into the inn?

In the end, the debate was settled by one simple fact. Hayate didn't mind living alone, but it was too far from the hospital she went to for her appointments. The inn, however, was only a few blocks away from it and it didn't have the same empty feeling as the house. In fact it was rather lively, even if Uzume would have to take one of the first floor bedrooms instead of the second floor ones like she had originally. Fortunately, she didn't have much in the way of things to move.

Hayate's home was paid for by her 'uncle', who was a friend of her father's. He was responsible for her inheritance, and had his secretaries watch over her until she was old enough to handle herself.

She was grateful for them taking care of her, even if her legs made it hard for her to get around...but she didn't like living in an empty house.

The problem came with contacting Hayate's uncle. Not even Matsu, the excitable pervert on the second floor, could reach him. And considering she could quite literally _control_ any electronic she could get her hands on thanks to her power, that was quite odd.

Which meant Hayate had no way of getting funds to pay for a room at the inn.

So they came up with a compromise. Hayate and Uzume would live in the house, but the night before any appointments she would stay at the inn...or if they just wanted to visit. At least until Hayate could contact her 'uncle' again.

* * *

Uzume didn't know how to describe it. But if she had to put it to words she would have to say...the house felt lonely. Hayate kept up a brave smile, but it was pretty clear she was really glad that Uzume lived with her.

The two of them often slept in the same bed. It wasn't that bad, considering they were both girls and Hayate seemed to have a thing for snoring on Uzume's chest. But it did lead to some interesting positions come morning.

However it was nothing compared to what happened when Hayate realized Uzume had a similar hobby...and didn't mind acting as dress up dummy for some of her creations (or using her powers to make it easier for Hayate to make said creations by holding the cloth perfectly still in awkward positions).

Hayate once went into her appointment dressed in a wagtail costume, much to the amusement of the doctors. And one of Hayate's friends in the long-term care ward named Chiho. Sometimes when she had to stay overnight, they put her in Chiho's room and the two would debate anything from manga to shows they had seen. Hayate's visits always cheered the poor girl up.

Uzume didn't know what this 'uncle' was thinking, leaving poor Hayate all alone in a big city. If he really cared about her then surely he could have allowed her to live with him, no matter how busy the schedule. Only having a pair of secretaries to come and look in on her was being just plain lazy.

Secretaries who hadn't been seen in over six months, even if the bills _were_ being paid on time.

If Uzume ever met this 'Gil Graham' she was going to give him a piece of her mind...preferably out of hearing of Hayate, who might tell her not to.

Though that chained book which Hayate said was her dad's gave her some pretty creepy vibes.

* * *

 _Six months later..._

Uzume's first impression of the 'secretaries' Hayate's uncle sent...was of a pair of cats. Which was rather weird. Though if she was surprised to see them while Hayate was staying overnight at the hospital, it was nothing compared to the shock they had on _their_ faces finding someone they didn't recognize in Hayate's home.

Needless to say their first meeting went rather poorly without Hayate to mediate.

"Who are you?" demanded the 'older' feeling secretary.

"I should be asking that question, considering you two barged in here without even knocking! What did you do, pick the lock?" growled Uzume. They weren't Sekirei, but she'd be damned if she let some jumped up pair of idiots barge into Hayate's house!

The shorter haired one hissed at Uzume, making the cat comparison even stronger.

"Why are you in Hayate's house?" she demanded.

"I _live_ here. Now who are you two and why did you barge in here?" said Uzume flatly. Oh how she wished Hayate were around, but she could still manipulate their clothes if she could grab them quick enough.

"We work for Hayate's uncle. What do you mean you _live_ here?!"

Uzume suddenly realized these two idiots had to be the secretaries Hayate mentioned.

"Are you Aria and Lotte?" she asked.

Seeing them stiffen, she hit that nail on the head.

"Where is Hayate?"

Before Uzume could give a smart-assed comeback, likely about why should they care when they left her all alone for the better part of a year, when her phone went off. It was Miya.

She hit the answer button, and after a few moments closed it.

"Where is Hayate Yagami?" demanded the more mature of the two. She looked ready to start something, and likely cause a scene.

"That is none of your damn business, and frankly I don't see why you two even care. Any _responsible_ adult wouldn't have left a nine-year-old all alone in a city like Shin Tokyo without at least leaving a guardian to contact, and not one of our messages went through. I don't know what you want with Hayate, but you're not going near her again," said Uzume darkly, all too ready to strangle them both with just their collars. She wasn't above killing to protect her Ashikabi.

Uzume went to the bathroom, then escaped via the window where she took a jump to the nearest roof. By the time the weird cat-women realized she wasn't in the house, she was already at the inn.

And she was distinctly _not happy_ about the way they had acted without even showing the barest hint of civility.

"Ara...so these mysterious secretaries have finally returned?" said Miya, dishing out the food.

"They were beyond rude. They just came into the house without even bothering to knock, and they seemed offended at the fact I lived with Hayate," said Uzume in annoyance.

Matsu, who strangely enough _also_ reacted to Hayate shortly after her first real sleepover at the inn but held off so Miya wouldn't use her Mask on the poor perverted Sekirei if she learned the red head had pounced on the disabled Ashikabi, was already in Norito mode. Hayate had given her a quick peck so she could keep tabs on the two secretaries once she found out they were back.

They were hiding _something_ , but none of them had any idea what it was.

Which was why Hayate had installed a series of wireless webcams, all of which had the indicator light disabled personally by Matsu. Sure it meant she could literally _spy_ on Hayate or Uzume when they were there, but they didn't mind overly much. The fact was that Uzume would rather have to deal with Matsu's spying than worry about the house while they weren't there. There was quite literally one camera in every corner of the house, and Matsu could access every one.

And right now she was recording some pretty incriminating evidence on the two secretaries...who apparently _were_ cats of some sort. Though not ones that any of them had heard of.

All Matsu got out of a hurried conversation with someone they called 'Father' (likely Gil Graham) was that they were worried about something called the "Book of Darkness" and that Hayate had likely been abducted.

Fortunately they had already anticipated something like this, because Hayate had changed her emergency contact to Miya and Uzume. The doctor was glad to finally have someone they could contact and actually get a reply within a reasonable time limit.

Uzume played off her relationship as that of Hayate's older cousin, who had finally located her through detective agencies. Matsu had created a false trail to help Uzume's claim, including a fake family connection.

So if this Gil Graham tried to pull anything that would separate Hayate from Uzume, he would find himself facing an uphill battle. One Matsu would make as difficult as possible.

Hayate just hoped she could reason with him enough that he could at least allow her to move into Izumo full time rather than having to live in such an empty house.

* * *

It took the cat-women two days to finally track Hayate down, and they hadn't even bothered to hide to begin with.

Before Aria _or_ Lotte could try and start making demands, Miya made her presence known...scaring both cats into submission without even a hint of protest.

She just had that sort of effect on people, and that was before her evil Hannya Mask came out to scare them shitless.

Still, with her present they at least were able to keep relatively calm enough to hear the slightly modified story.

"So let me get this straight. You are Hayate's third cousin once removed, and you found her through a detective you hired to find any remaining family you had left," said Lotte. She seemed to be buying it...sort of. "You then practically _forced_ yourself into Hayate's life once you found out she lived alone, despite the fact you had already secured a room here."

"I didn't force myself on anyone! I explained to Hayate what was going on and she offered to let me stay at her place except for appointments because the inn was closer! Anyway you two don't have any room to talk, leaving her alone for months on end without even _once_ sending someone to check on her!" said Uzume offended at the way Lotte phrased that. Miya raised an eyebrow and Uzume settled, though she was still pissed.

"What exactly are your plans for Hayate?" asked Aria.

"What plans? We've been trying to contact you people for _months_ to see if we couldn't work out an arrangement so Hayate wouldn't be alone in that house anymore. It would be much easier if she lived here full time instead of having to split travel between the inn and that empty house. Not to mention she would have an easier time going to the hospital since the inn is closer to it," said Uzume.

They said nothing about what they overheard, because there was no way in hell Uzume was going to tell them about Matsu bugging Hayate's house. It might mean they would be tight lipped later on.

Lotte seemed to realize the problem, because after a moment she went to talk to her father about the situation. She came back fifteen minutes later.

"The house is already paid for, but he would prefer that it still got some use. He also said he would be willing to pay for a room as long as Hayate-chan lives here. Though not for Uzume-san," said Lotte narrowing her eyes at the brunette.

"We've been sharing for months now. Not like it bothers us that much," said Uzume shrugging. If need be she'd share with Matsu. At least until they left.

Lotte let out a breath.

"The first payment will come in a few days."

Unspoken was the fact that Matsu was absolutely going to trace the account back to the origin, at least to figure out what the hell was going on with Hayate's uncle. Something was up with this whole scenario, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it!


	2. Chapter 2

Matsu was tracking the payments from Hayate's "uncle" when she noticed something that made her absolutely annoyed.

There was a massively corrupted file in the near vicinity that was slowing down the processing speed. The thing was she had no idea which one of her _many_ computers was so heavily infected enough to actually REGISTER on her radar while she was in her Norito.

So after a futile attempt to locate Gil Graham via the digital payments, she decided to try something that might actually prove useful.

She was going to either fix the corrupted file, or erase it completely. She hated having slow processors...it made things harder. She had learned her lesson the _last_ time one of the porn sites she visited damn near crashed her precious computers.

Still, the moment the lead came to a dead end because she couldn't find out _where_ Graham made the payment from (she'd never heard of Mid-Childa) she looked to see Hayate still sound asleep on the futon mattress with that odd book the girl hoped Matsu could at least find on the internet. It was so unusual and Hayate had hopes Matsu would at least be able to give her a name for the thing.

Matsu brushed a few stray hairs from her Ashikabi. Who ever would have believed such a small child would end up winging her _and_ Uzume? Not that she minded though...Hayate was a very discreet closet pervert...though to be fair she was more interested in the outfits.

Hayate moved closer to the source of warmth.

Matsu debated on what to do, before realizing that the corrupted file wasn't moving, so there wasn't any reason _not_ to put it off until she had a decent night's sleep. Hayate promptly used Matsu's rather generous chest as a pillow, and a few minutes later a slightly drunk Uzume came in and cuddled up to Hayate's back, keeping her warmer than any blanket. Miya saw the trio snoring lightly in Matsu's room and closed the door gently so as not to wake them. Not that it was likely, because Matsu had a habit of being out like a light for hours once she crashed, Hayate was a rather deep sleeper, and Uzume was apparently drunk again.

* * *

"You want me to give you a Norito in order to purge a bad file?" said Hayate the next morning.

Hayate spent most of her day with Matsu, though that was outside the darkened room. Because of her condition, it was difficult for her to attend school normally. So they had a different solution...Hayate took online classes so she could still get an education, but wouldn't be overly stressed and put her in the hospital again. Which meant Matsu could instruct her Ashikabi on how to be a hacker like her. Hayate was surprisingly adept at math.

"I should have noticed the corruption sooner, but somehow it slipped my notice until I went investigating that uncle of yours. And as a hacker I simply can't stand having anything that would slow my computers down. However, this file looks too entrenched in others, so having a Norito would really help in containing it."

"So what exactly are you going to do?"

Matsu's glasses gleamed.

"I'm so glad you asked! If I can't delete the file that got corrupted or fix the damage, then I'm going to use the power of my Norito to isolate it so it doesn't cause any _more_ harm to the other files. It looked really nasty too and I have no idea where I picked it up since my firewalls should have stopped it from making contact or alerting me!"

Matsu was annoyed by this virus. Which was why she had Uzume take the old MBI card that she had kept. She was going to use it to buy the best external hard drive she could find, in case she had to isolate the virus. The more memory, the better.

Uzume returned later that afternoon with the hard drive, which had ten terabytes (it was the highest one commercially available) of memory.

Matsu hooked it up to her computer, then looked at Hayate. Hayate kissed her firmly on the lips (having become used to the idea of kissing her Sekirei since moving into the inn, as Matsu was really enthusiastic) and Matsu intoned her Norito. In Hayate's lap was the chained book.

Matsu's eyes flung open. She could see the virus clear as day, and so begun poking at it, trying to figure out which computer was corrupted...if only so she knew if she needed to isolate it.

What she found instead shocked her to her core.

The corrupted device wasn't one of her many computers...it was the _book_ Hayate had in her hands. She had never heard of such a thing and she knew Hayate had never been able to open the book itself...so how could it be a device?

As her Norito began to fade, Matsu had to process this information.

"Do you need another Norito?" asked Hayate.

Realizing the daunting task before her, Matsu decided to tell Hayate _after_ she isolated the odd virus.

So Matsu nodded, and got another kiss.

The red-haired Sekirei went to work, slowly moving the virus in the corrupted files into the hard drive. It took time, and two more Noritos before she could say with honesty that she had transferred the problem to the hard drive. And the second she nodded, Uzume yanked the cord out from the computer, not caring if it did any damage to the hard drive itself.

Matsu looked exhausted as the bad file had given her quite a nasty fight. She needed to refuel before she even thought of beginning what was definitely going to be the long, arduous task of repairing or replacing the damage.

Matsu ate more than she normally did, pretty much wiping out most of the food left in the fridge. It was a good thing Hayate knew how to cook and that Miya was out. Uzume would have to make another trip to the store before Miya returned, or she was likely to get angry.

While Uzume was gone, Matsu and Hayate went back to the room and started again, with Hayate recharging Matsu before the Norito had a chance to fade completely.

By the time dinner rolled around and Miya had come back (and extracting _why_ there were so many groceries on the kitchen floor and almost none in the fridge from a terrified Uzume) most of the worst damage had been fixed. However there was a small problem.

"So the computer's registration files were removed by accident?" said Hayate, cocking her head in confusion.

"The device had a name and registration, but it was completely absorbed by the corrupt file and I removed it by accident. Which means we need to give it a new name and registration. Unfortunately that requires Administrator rights, which I have no idea how to get since the thing doesn't have any way for me to hack it, even directly."

Matsu looked exhausted, as multiple Noritos and the task of repairing the damage had wiped her out.

So once she wiped out her dinner, Matsu went straight to bed and slept until well into the afternoon the next day.

The results of her labor wouldn't be fully realized until Hayate's next appointment two weeks later.

* * *

Dr. Morimoto examined Hayate's X-rays. Then he had someone else come in to confirm his findings, before going to see the girl who was already visiting with Chiho.

Hayate took one look at his face and immediately asked "I'm not going to have to stay overnight again am I?"

"You are, but not for the same reason as usual. The tests showed there was some unusual activity in the lower regions."

"Unusual activity?" repeated Hayate.

"Activity normally seen in people able to walk," clarified the doctor. "I can't explain it, but it appears that whatever took away your mobility is starting to recede. If that's the case in a few short months we might be able to put you into physical therapy that could restore the use of your legs."

Hayate stared.

"My legs are...starting to heal?" she said slowly, in shock.

"Like I said, we'd have to do a few more tests to confirm it."

Hayate didn't know how to react. She had dealt with being confined to a wheelchair most of her life. So the possibility she would one day be able to walk was something she hadn't considered.

"That's great Hayate-chan!" said Chiho.

"In any case we've alerted your cousin that you'll be staying here tonight. If you like we could set you up in this room so you'll have someone to talk to," said the doctor kindly.

Uzume brought in a few sketch books and some pencils so Hayate could show Chiho her drawings or come up with new ones.

Hayate went in for multiple new tests, each all saying the exact same thing.

Whatever had caused the progressing paralysis seemed to be receding at an increased rate. The doctors were baffled by this, but were otherwise happy for her.

If the paralysis didn't return, then Hayate could feasibly begin physical therapy in a few short months and regain a normal life.

* * *

Uzume and Matsu felt this was a sign for celebration, and Miya was inclined to agree. The fact Hayate might be able to be a normal girl again soon was good news. That the doctors estimated she could begin walking around Christmas, even better.

Though Miya could have done without having Seo visit, the bum. She only put up with him because he was a friend of her late husband, but that didn't mean she liked him.

The fact Hayate unashamedly told Seo he 'smelled funny' was something that brought great amusement to the others. Particularly Miya.

Seo had, on that day, forgotten to take a shower and had smelled of B.O., but no one had dared to call him on it. Or the fact he stunk of spilled sake. Needless to say he had borrowed the bath that night if only so Hayate would quite making such theatrical gestures of 'warding off the smell'.

Either way it brought Miya great amusement to remind him of the incident.

* * *

Hayate maneuvered her crutches carefully. She had a visit with Aria and Lotte to look forward to, mostly to assure their 'father' that she wasn't being taken advantage of.

She debated on whether or not to bring her crutches, but decided to simply grab the collapsible ones instead. She knew how to put them together, and they could be hidden fairly well against her sides just in case.

Since she knew that the two and their father had something planned for the 'Book of Darkness', it was only reasonable that she kept the fact she knew something about it low-key until she had an idea of what they were actually up to.

Originally Uzume would drop her off at the rather public cafe and keep a low profile nearby. However Miya needed her to do something.

So Homura was drafted instead, seeing as how Matsu had apparently angered MBI at some point.

Homura wheeled her to the cafe, which was close by. He then took a spot roughly close to the door, but armed with one of his many books and a cup of hot coffee that he could ask to have refilled. Because it was an outdoor cafe, it meant he was allowed to smoke...however he wisely stayed away from the wind to keep it from blowing towards Hayate. She hated the smell.

Aria and Lotte arrived a few minutes early, and they settled in to chat. It was mostly small talk, but Hayate seized on the first awkward pause to come up with a quick fib about the book that had chains on it. The one Matsu had more or less fixed with a few missing programs.

She mentioned nothing about the virus, the corrupted files or the fact it was now without a registration. Instead she claimed to have heard weird voices in the middle of the night that weren't attributed to one of the tenants having late-night wanderings.

That got their attention, and while they were subtle, they couldn't hide everything. Especially since Matsu was recording the entire thing from the house courtesy of Homura's cell phone, which was casually aimed at Hayate. He knew she was watching, because Hayate had allowed Matsu to use her Norito for a simple meeting.

She had timed how long it took for a Norito to expire, either through a battle or using the bare minimum of the energy doing simple tasks.

Uzume's best time was an hour and a half, and that was just using her skills to hold fabric up. Matsu had a two hour limit, and it dropped to a half hour if she was doing something intensive like when she moved the corrupt file and then repaired the damage left behind.

One thing Hayate noted was that their food intake increased the more they used their powers or how often they used them. Case in point, Matsu eating the entire inn out of house and home only to crash for nearly a full day after...and she didn't have any powers that could be considering _combat_ worthy! She was intelligence gathering and electronic infiltration!

So Hayate discreetly pumped the twin cats for information...and what little they did let slip unintentionally told Matsu they didn't have entirely _benign_ intentions for that book once it woke up.

It was almost like there was a timer on the book itself. A timer they were determined to beat for some unknown reason.

Which meant Matsu would have to try extra hard to find out what the book was and why they were so intent on it.

Homura kept a close eye on Hayate once they were far enough, and she pulled out the collapsible crutches. It was only a block to the inn, but that was more than enough to get in a little practice in walking and still fit into the limits the doctors set forth when they realized her paralysis was actually receding faster than they anticipated.

* * *

It was the night before Hayate's birthday, and a full week since they had learned the cat twins had plans for the book.

Homura, being the devious creature he was, had been able to slip a camera on the twins that Matsu was already connected to.

Which was how she had gotten quite a bit of information, like the fact the reason why they had been unable to contact this Gil Graham was because he was on another world entirely!

Matsu was so fascinated by the information that she had Hayate keep her power going long into the night, at least until the camera was destroyed, much to her disappointment.

Still, she had gotten more information than she would have expected until the cat had realized there was a wireless camera on her and broke it. And since she was automatically recording it so she could view it later, that meant she had plenty of new things to play with. The sheer possibilities made Matsu giggle madly.

Hayate was once again sleeping with Uzume, with Matsu having crashed in their room acting as the 'cover' for their Ashikabi.

The second that Hayate was old enough to have 'fun' with, Matsu and Uzume were moving back into the house and away from the overprotective Miya. For now it was a safe haven and a place to stash anyone injured.

So naturally they were all less than pleased when the book suddenly shot up a good two and a half feet in the air and the chains broke off without any warning, waking all three of them up. The book itself sprang open, and as if touched by an unseen wind the pages flipped by themselves before a voice loudly said **"Anfang"** in what Matsu would later tiredly recognize as German. And old German at that.

Hayate blearily looked at the four people in the now rather cramped room who had appeared inside what looked like a magic circle.

Suddenly realizing the situation, Hayate stared in disbelief.

"The (…) has awakened," said the tall rose-haired woman.

"We are the knights who collect magic power for the (…) and our Master," said the blond.

"It is our mission to complete our Master's will," said the lone male of the group.

"We are the Wolkenritter, please give us your orders," said the youngest one, a girl with deep pink hair that was almost red in color.

Hayate stared, not entirely awaken enough to understand what was going on. Finally she realized that the book floating was the same one Matsu had fixed...more or less... and that said people came out of the book.

She turned to a bleary eyed Matsu and yawning Uzume.

"It looks like the book woke up finally," she said.

Uzume looked at the quartet, who had odd looks on their face, then at her Ashikabi. Then she looked back at them.

"Is there any way we could put this off until morning? Otherwise Miya's going to get mad at everyone and I don't want to deal with that evil mask of hers without a full night's sleep," said the brunette.

"Agreed," yawned Matsu.

Seeing the four still standing at attention, almost as startled at the situation as they were, Hayate finally said "If you need an order, then wait until morning. No way am I explaining to Miya why four people showed up out of nowhere half-awake."

The four newcomers reluctantly settled in to the rather cramped space...until Matsu decided that she could let the chibi one take her spot and went back to her room. Now there was just enough room for everyone to sleep until morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Miya's eyebrows were twitching rampantly.

"So these four appeared last night and you have no idea why?" she said.

Signum, Shamal and Zafira were all at attention, mostly because they were rightly terrified of Miya after even a light exposure to her dreaded Hannya technique.

Vita was with Hayate, as she had to get new clothes for the other three. Uzume, sensing the impending Hannya that she knew would come, had chickened out and offered to be escort.

With them gone and the only other person in the house being Matsu, that meant Miya could let her true nature slip, and not the rather stern old-fashioned landlady persona she had created.

This was number 01, the 'Goddess' of the current batch of Sekirei. These three might react better to that side of her than they would have to Miya, the scary landlady.

"So just to clarify, you three and that little girl are part of the 'Knight' program of the book Matsu fixed three months ago. The same book that a pair of cat-secretaries have been worried about, and have been overly concerned with instead of their so-called charge. And now that Hayate-chan is old enough, the book has activated awakening the 'programming' and letting you four out," said Miya.

"What do you mean 'fixed' the book?" said Signum. Why would the book need to be fixed?

Matsu spoke up.

"The 'book' Hayate had was massively corrupted, on top of having a bizarre mutated virus inside it. I found it by accident while tracking her benefactor, and once I realized what device was damaged I spent the better part of a day isolating and removing the corruption, and then repairing it. You didn't even realize that you never said the name of the book when you first came out, because the registration was lost when I fixed it."

"How can you fix a device?"

"I'm assuming you three aren't from this particular planet originally, correct?" said Matsu.

"No."

"Well neither are we. Uzume and I are what are called Sekirei. We are an alien race that crash landed a few decades ago, and are being released in small groups to find our 'destined' one which we call an Ashikabi. Hayate is the Ashikabi of Uzume and I, which is why we share the same room."

"So you're like us then?" asked Shamal.

"Pretty much. The only person who was actually _born_ naturally on this planet that lives in this house is Hayate."

That seemed to relax the three, at least until Signum tentatively asked "Are you associated with the TSAB?"

"The _what?_ " said Matsu baffled.

Taking that as a 'no', Signum continued.

"We've had a few bad run ins with the Time Space Administration Bureau before. They're not exactly very welcoming when it comes to us, despite the fact it wasn't entirely our fault. We were only following orders."

Miya's gaze softened. That sounded familiar.

"It would seem that the Wolkenritter hold more in common with the Sekirei than I had originally assumed. In any case we will have to figure out whether you will live in the Inn or whether Hayate and her flock move back into the house a little early."

If they agreed to live here, there were a few issues that needed to be sorted out.

Namely the fact that they would have to open up a few of the rooms and that Zafira, for all his politeness, would have to stay outside except during rain or snow. After an incident involving a pet cat, Miya had invoked a very strict 'no pets' policy.

As polite and well mannered as she was sure Zafira was, she didn't want to risk it. She had barely tolerated those...cats...in the dining room.

With the Wolkenritter freshly outfitted, and Matsu helping Hayate come up with all sorts of ideas for their Knight armor, a few things became evident.

One, Vita had a thing for bunnies, if the doll she was holding rather tightly was any indication. Two, Shamal and Signum were _never_ allowed near the kitchens, ever, after Miya barely averted a near disaster involving a pot of boiling water. Three, Zafira had no issues with sleeping outside, as it satisfied the paranoia of the Knights about the security of the inn.

Especially after they heard the circumstances _why_ Miya didn't allow pets. The only concessions she gave were for weather and meal times, and that was only if he assumed human form without the ears or tail. A difficult task, but not one that was unreasonable.

The last thing they learned was Matsu's strange ability to 'hack' devices, and that Sekirei counted when it came to filling the book with magical power. However it left Homura, Matsu and Uzume bedridden for a full three days. After that they agreed that the 'draining' should only be done on enemy Ashikabi-Sekirei pairs who were stupid enough to mistake Signum, Shamal and Vita as unwinged birds. Oh, and someone named Karasuba, who had apparently done something to royally piss off Miya at some point. She had helpfully provided a picture of number 04.

One of the perks of living at the inn was the daily show of Signum and Miya having a mock spar in the backyard.

Since they were both _very_ experienced sword masters, and Hayate didn't mind it if they had a bit of fun, the two would go at it using wooden swords until breakfast. And since she could reasonably cook something simple, it meant that Miya had a minor break from the cooking duty.

It worked out for everyone. Especially Vita, who was slightly embarrassed to find that Hayate was more than happy to feed her love of rabbits and bunnies by giving her a table with a rabbit background.

* * *

The first time Homura saw Signum, he was too exhausted to register her presence. The second time, he was just passing her on the street.

It was on his night off that he finally realized the reason he had been overheated lately was because he was reacting to someone, and it took three long hours to realize it was the rose haired woman who could fight Miya on even terms through pure swordplay.

Which was somewhat odd, because according to the woman, none of the Wolkenritter were human anymore. They were programs.

Still, at the end of the day he was reacting to the Blazing General (even her device was fire-related, strangely enough) and it meant he wouldn't have to go around sleeping with random women anymore. He just hoped Signum wasn't offended or tried to keep him from his self-appointed duty to protect the unwinged Sekirei from unscrupulous Ashikabi. That was one thing he refused to compromise on.

"Ara...you're reacting to Signum-san?" said Miya in surprise.

"I'm fairly sure it's her. I was close by Shamal and Vita, and I didn't feel anything, but when I got close to Signum my powers started spiking like mad."

Matsu, who happened to be in the room at the moment when Homura came in to discuss this with Miya, tilted her head.

"I wonder if this makes you indirectly Hayate's third Sekirei. I mean Signum is technically _bound_ to her after all, and if you're reacting to her then..."

That made everyone pause, and consider that for a moment. It did make a strange sort of sense, because Signum's "existence" was contingent on Hayate. So technically, that meant Homura was tied to her as well.

That actually comforted Homura, just a little. Hayate approved of his protecting the unwinged birds, even going so far as to let him borrow Matsu for a bit to keep track of them and alert him if certain people were too close to them.

Miya knew Homura had been desperately searching his Ashikabi. So the fact she had finally appeared, but was attached to another was just another oddity about the Guardian Sekirei.

* * *

Hayate called Signum into the room and explained the situation to her.

"Wait, I'm his 'destined one'?" said Signum in disbelief.

"I'm one of the longest-running unwinged Sekirei in the city at the moment. I've been looking for my Ashikabi ever since I was released, and when I couldn't find one in five years, I decided to protect the other unwinged birds instead. At this point I'm just glad my Ashikabi is a female," said Homura.

Signum looked to Hayate.

"I don't mind if you and Homura date. And if you want to help him protect the other unwinged Sekirei, I'm all for it!" said Hayate honestly.

Homura treated her like a little sister, which was really nice. So what if they had to borrow the house in order to have any 'adult' time away from Miya's gaze? It wasn't like Hayate was looking forward to the day she was old enough to have some 'fun' of her own with Uzume and Matsu. Nope, not one bit.

At least that was what she told Miya anyway.

"So what exactly do I have to do in order to become Homura's Ashikabi?"

"First we'll go outside because there's no way Miya would appreciate Homura accidentally setting the inn on fire. Then all you need to do is kiss him and you'll be bonded together," said Hayate.

Miya looked at the girl with approval. Such a thoughtful child.

Needless to say Shamal, Vita and Zafira were rather amused about the whole thing, even if it technically meant Homura was one of them now.

* * *

Seo's meeting with the Wolkenritter could have gone better...for him. They felt sorry for his twin Sekirei for having to put up with an unrepentant pervert.

Though Miya did lift the 'no violence or pets' in Izumo when Zafira damn near mauled him for commenting on Shamal and Signum's breasts.

She honestly felt he deserved worse than having a five-foot blue wolf biting him on the ass.

* * *

Hayate spotted Aria and Lotte in a discreet corner of the street, observing their group.

Unknown to the cats, she had Matsu with her under a disguise and already under the effects of her Norito.

And Matsu had learned to 'hack' the transmissions given off by devices thanks to help from Signum and the others. It was rather ironic that Matsu ended up supporting everyone in Hayate's "group" through some semi-legal methods that ended with her blackmailing one of the less scrupulous Ashikabi in the city. Even if it meant that they had to take him out because he kept targeting the unwinged birds (and as a consequence all those he had winged, forcibly or otherwise).

On the plus side, that meant Signum and the others could drain every Sekirei Higa had collected so they would at least be unconscious once he was taken out. And since on average a Sekirei netted at _least_ ten pages, that meant they could get quite a few considering he was one of Homura's worst "offenders".

Matsu got even _more_ incriminating evidence on the two and their father. If they tried anything she'd sing like a canary.

Matsu was surprisingly vindictively like that.

"Well?"

"They're definitely aware of the Wolkenritter being active, but they called it the Book of Darkness. I think you should rename it soon," said Matsu.

Hayate nodded. She didn't know what the deal over the book was, but she wasn't about to lose her new family because someone tried to use her.

Good thing she was still in her wheelchair, having not been fully cleared for walking without crutches just yet. It meant they had no idea the book had been fixed, meaning they could trap them.

"So when should we start picking off Higa's flock?" asked Hayate, almost like one would comment on the weather.

Hayate had no issue with removing a Sekirei's crest. From what she understood it was relatively painless and they were retrieved almost right away.

Besides, most of them were forced into that relationship, and according to Homura, Higa was _very_ abusive. But Sekirei were so submissive to whomever winged them that they never had any thoughts of running. Better to end their misery now than let them put up with one more day of his abuse.

Shamal hated this, but after seeing evidence of Higa's abuse towards his flock, even she had to admit that at least Uzume's "win" against another Sekirei was quick and relatively painless. It meant they would have a second chance once this...Jinki...crystal was used and allowed to find their real Ashikabi.

The sooner they got rid of his defense, the sooner Hayate could get Matsu to blackmail and rip out his power base from underneath him.

She was still furious that Higa had a habit of blackmailing other Ashikabi in order to make their Sekirei work for him, usually by holding something over them.

While Hayate was still by far the kindest Master they had ever had (treating the Knights more like her family than tools or servants), the fact she had no issues with them completing the recently renamed book by having them target another alien species meant that she wasn't entirely innocent.

(Renaming the book took two very long, irritating hours before Hayate _finally_ figured out how to access Administrator Rights long enough to re-register the book under a new name. Two hours which had the normally patient almost snapping in frustration.)

Though to be fair, it was less of them targeting them and more along the lines of being in a game that was created by an idiot.

(The last part being Homura's explanation after said 'idiot' who apparently _owned_ damn near the entire city at this point showed up on the small TV to explain the game to Signum after she winged Homura.)

The entire thing stunk to the Wolkenritter, like this Hiroto Minaka had ulterior motives, but for the life of them they couldn't figure out what.

The most irritating thing was that Signum was now stuck in the city because she had winged Homura, a fact they _hadn't_ been aware of previously, as Hayate had never been told this fact. Seeing as how she was a minor, and previously disabled, there was really little reason for her to _leave_ the city before.

On the plus side, that meant at least one of the Knights would always be on hand and a short-distance teleport to their Master, preferably with back up. The fact it was their leader was just bonus.


	4. Chapter 4

Two months into the awakening of the Book, and the later winging of a very happy Homura, Izumo _finally_ gained some normal residents. And one abnormal one courtesy of an embarrassed Vita who apparently felt sorry for what she thought was a fellow rabbit lover.

Minato Sahashi and his Sekirei Musubi quite literally fell from the sky without any warning. If they hadn't fallen into the tree, they might have been in for some very serious injuries.

As it was, Hayate had been outside looking at the stars and wondering which ones held new worlds to explore once the sick Game created by Minaka was finally over and done with.

She took one look at the people who fell from the sky before calling inside "Miya! Another pair just dropped in!"

"Ara..."

She could see Zafira come up to guard Hayate in the event they proved to be dangerous.

Fortunately that wasn't necessary.

Minato, as it turned out, was a wimp. So much so that he hadn't even _tried_ anything with his Sekirei yet, and was unlikely to unless Hayate or the residents of the inn wore down his resistance to the idea.

It was pretty clear Minato was an inexperienced fool who had never had a girlfriend in his life.

Though considering who his mother was (Homura and Signum had him investigated by the resident hacker/super pervert Matsu) that didn't surprise them in the least. It was a miracle that Signum was fine with him being a Host.

Though that was nothing compared to what happened when Vita came back after heading to the craft store for Hayate, who still wasn't cleared to walk that far.

"I'm back," said Vita. But it was the person behind her that had everyone staring.

"Another one?" said Uzume.

It was clearly a Scrapped Number, and one that had recently escaped. It was also wearing only a lab coat, a bloodied one at that.

She seemed...empty. Almost like the Wolkenritter the first few days they had ended up living in Izumo, at least until they realized Hayate was nothing like their previous masters. She listened to them, and treated them like family, or in the case of Zafira, a particularly intelligent pet that could talk.

Though Zafira was somewhat glad that it looked like Minato was going to stay. He was already hopelessly outnumbered by the women in the house as it was...he needed a male influence that wasn't the idiot known as Seo around, and Homura was too feminine to begin with.

Even if Homura did tend to gravitate towards Zafira when he got home from work, as if trying to shield himself from the overwhelming amount of estrogen in the inn.

While Zafira was musing on the fact that the 'male' population of Izumo was at least trying to make an effort to even out the balance of power, Vita had dragged Akitsu to Hayate, who was already making plans for costumes.

The woman who felt like the coldest glacier he had ever encountered didn't seem to mind at being turned into a living dress up doll. She just seemed happy that someone _wanted_ her, and wasn't going to abandon her. The Knights could relate.

Uzume took the addition of the Scrapped Number with ease.

"You're really gatherin' a harem of women, aren't you Hayate-chan?" she said with open amusement.

"Soon, soon the world shall be forced to become my living dress up doll collection! Fufufufufu..." said Hayate, doing a disturbing imitation of Matsu when she was thinking something indecent. Miya shot the red-haired Sekirei a look.

It was pretty damn clear being around a shameless pervert like Matsu, along with the slightly exhibitionist Uzume was having an effect on the girl.

So long as she didn't start copying too much, Miya would ignore it. Homura already complained whenever he had to watch Uzume parade around in only a shirt and a pair of underwear.

If that meant another body would be sharing the almost cramped room with Hayate and Uzume, then so be it.

Vita already shared a room with Miya, while Shamal and Signum shared another. Normally Sekirei and Ashikabi shared the same room, but since she didn't want to tempt either Homura or Signum she assigned the two older females the same one since they didn't mind it.

Zafira got his own 'room' of a sorts in the form of a large dog house, which was attached to the main inn and acted as a rather discreet escape hatch which Seo made as a joke considering he originally helped Miya's husband Takashi renovate the inn. He also helped with the door to Matsu's room, so he did the same with the back end of the newly made dog house. Zafira appreciated the gesture, as it meant he could slip into the inn if there was any trouble without having to worry about an enemy seeing him.

As everyone settled in for the night, Zafira went to the tree the couple had crash landed in and gave it a sniff.

A weird surge of energy he had come to associate with Sekirei had been flowing in that tree. Except he was fairly certain the ditzy brunette called Musubi wasn't the origin of the power...she reminded him more of an air-headed Vita. All brute force and little to no tact.

* * *

A few days after Minato and his Sekirei moved into Izumo, (thus adding to the already slightly overcrowded) building.

At this rate they'd have to move into the house.

In any case, Zafira was out with Homura, since he had gotten a call from Takami about a powerful...and very young...Sekirei having been accidentally set loose. Number 108 was originally not scheduled to leave the lab until she was at _least_ fifteen, and she was four years younger than Hayate!

So Homura had taken Zafira and Vita, reasoning that a child might react better to a friendly dog and a girl with a doll than they would another adult or Sekirei trying to get near them. The fact Hayate agreed was the only reason he went along.

Besides, Zafira could track the poor kid and hopefully keep her safe until her Ashikabi responded to her mental calls. And Vita could be his back-up.

Once he got them to the very outskirts of the forest Kusano had created with her power out of fear, the two went in, Zafira leading the way with his nose.

Kusano took one look at the surly looking Vita and the large size of Zafira and immediately tried to hide behind her plants. That is until Vita brought out a secret weapon.

One of the now many rabbit dolls Hayate had gotten for her once she realized Vita liked the furry creatures. Since she couldn't _have_ a living one because they lived at the inn, this was the next best thing.

Kusano slowly got down from her branch, and once Vita gave her the doll, she hugged it like a lifeline.

"We're here until you find your real big brother or sister. Zafira and I will keep those other Sekirei or Ashikabi from winging you until they show up," said Vita.

Kuu looked at Zafira. He was pretty intimidating, especially with the armored claws. So he laid down on the ground and allowed Kusano to pet him. Once she did, she curled into his fur and stayed there.

Vita began a simple patrol around the clearing. Any Sekirei that tried to come and claim Kuu for their Ashikabi by force would meet a nasty surprise. Especially with Matsu keeping them updated from the house with a bunch of cameras she had Homura place around the area.

Vita couldn't help but muse on the odd arrangement they had come to with their new Master, the Sekirei and the Wolkenritter.

Homura, Uzume and possibly even Akitsu would spread the wireless cameras Matsu favored. She had started to buy the things in bulk at Hayate's suggestion since the book was awakened. Matsu, for all her perversion, was a strategist even Signum could admire. She could beat chess grandmasters within ten minutes or less.

From the cameras Matsu could keep everyone updated. Finding out that practically anyone could learn to use the same magic the Wolkenritter (and now Hayate) had, Matsu had dove into the idea with fervor.

Apparently _all_ Sekirei had a Linker Core, hence why the newly renamed Reinforce was able to absorb them.

And the first spell Matsu mastered was communication.

Hayate, on the other hand, continued with her studies, focusing primarily on math. Since Reinforce awakened (though Hayate only had limited administrator rights at this point) her math skills had only improved in leaps and bounds.

With a constant and experienced eye on the battlefield, the Wolkenritter could act with a bit more freedom.

Though their tactics did change up a bit. Hayate was very firm on engaging anyone who decided to try something.

Everyone would work with a partner.

Homura and Signum, Shamal and Akitsu, Vita and Zafira.

Uzume and Matsu would stick close to Hayate, seeing as how they were more effective with her nearby. Besides, until Hayate and Matsu were able to recreate the _many_ mecha animes they watched, Matsu was better off at directing the others than in the front lines.

It was nice having _actual_ back-up that didn't hold your past against you.

Vita almost stumbled when she heard the explosion.

 _~Head's up...we got company and I don't think they're friendly,~_ said Vita.

 _~I'll call Matsu and let her know, if Homura hasn't already,~_ said Zafira.

While Vita patrolled the clearing, she left multiple wireless cameras around so Matsu could be their eyes once the fighting started over Kusano.

Twenty minutes after the explosion, Vita heard someone cursing about the overgrowth that kept making them trip.

A woman with a scythe crashed through the forest, and she looked pissed. But it was what was on her scythe that got Vita's attention.

Fresh blood.

 _~We got a Sekirei with a scythe coming in, and she's not a friendly. Looks like someone got on the wrong side of the blade. Take her deeper in while I cause a distraction,~_ said Vita.

 _~This is Matsu. I've got an ID on that Sekirei. Number 43, Yomi. Ashikabi, Hayato Mikogami...he's one of Homura's repeat offenders. Her powers involve wind manipulation and she uses the scythe to deliver it.~_

 _~Keep her visual and let us know if she tries an attack from behind or if anyone else comes in,~_ said Vita.

 _~Already ahead of you. Seo and his group just showed up...and they're being joined with... Minato and Musubi? He didn't strike me as the type of person to care about adding to his flock.~_

 _~Maybe Kusano is calling him?~_ suggested Zafira. Now that he was close, he could identify Kuu-chan as the one who saved Minato and Musubi two days ago. It was possible that Minato was her Ashikabi.

 _~Ask her what her Ashikabi looks like to confirm,~_ suggested Vita.

Zafira gave Kusano a bit of a shock when she found out he could talk, but she gave him a basic description that fit Minato fairly well.

 _~Confirmed, she called in Minato. I don't think she'd be up to winging until she's had a chance to recover and get cleaned up though,~_ said Zafira.

Vita scowled, which wasn't too different than what her normal facial expression was. At least they weren't acting like bullies anymore.

Yomi finally spotted her, and assumed she was another Sekirei. Her cackle made Vita's teeth go on edge. It sounded far too much like that Naga chick from the anime she had watched with Hayate.

"Number 43, Yomi! I will take that Sekirei for my Master!" she declared.

"Iron Hammer Knight Vita and the Steel Count Graf Eisen! My master has ordered me to protect 108 until her Ashikabi collects her!" said Vita, bringing her hammer to bear.

Yomi didn't question the lack of number, or the now-obvious fact that the girl wasn't a Sekirei.

Their titles had been declared, and the girl wasn't an Ashikabi, which meant she was fair game so long as she hindered her objective of retrieving 108 for her master. The rules only stated that no direct harm come to the opposing Ashikabi. There was nothing against those who got in the way.

Yomi sneered, and the battle began. The sound of metal upon metal was heard for a good distance. Vita was actually going easy on the idiot...she hadn't brought out her armor yet, and she was limiting her magic use. If she had really gotten serious then this twit wouldn't have lasted five seconds.

Then their battle happened upon the area Zafira was at with Kusano. Minato had made his way there and was about to leave with the newest member of his flock when Yomi spotted them.

In a last ditch effort to complete her task, Vita did something she hated to do, but was resigned to.

She stole Yomi's Linker Core and added it to the book, disguising her actions by attacking from behind. Thankfully, none of the humans realized what she was doing and Musubi was too much of an airhead to comprehend what she was seeing. The lightning twins were dealing with another Sekirei that had broken through the perimeter outside from Higa's group.

She gained twenty-five pages and an unconscious Sekirei.

Musubi looked at Vita expectantly.

"Aren't you going to erase her crest?" she asked.

Fortunately for the tiny Knight, Uzume had arrived with Shamal.

"Uzume, would you mind...?" asked Shamal. Seeing the looks Seo and the others were giving her, she hastily explained "Vita can't erase crests."

With a flare of light, the crest was gone and Yomi was officially out of the Game.

Uzume would stay behind so MBI would think she had defeated the Sekirei. It was unlikely they would have any pictures of Vita fighting the girl. Especially since Shamal had already picked up most of the cameras anyway. They could locate the rest once the forest was taken down.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Minato.

"When Hayate heard about what happened to Kusano-chan, she sent Vita and Zafira to guard her until her Ashikabi came to get her. Homura acted as the outer defense while they kept her safe from anyone who slipped past him. Fortunately due to the suddenness of the event, there weren't many able to gain enough power to beat Homura long enough to slip inside, other than that woman and another," said Shamal.

"So she didn't want Kuu-chan for herself?"

"She doesn't actively collect Sekirei unless they openly react to her, but she isn't going to let someone like Kusano be taken by someone unscrupulous like Kagari-san's repeat offender list," said Shamal, almost chastising.

"'Repeat offender list'?" said Minato.

"He has a list of those who actively try to wing Sekirei by force, either for power or other base reasons. They have a bad habit of sending their flock to kidnap the unwinged birds and forcibly wing them," explained Shamal. And top of that list were Higa and Mikogami.

Homura saw Minato, and realized Kuu had called him in. Since she had clearly found her Ashikabi, Homura vanished, knowing they would be fine with that many fighters...Zafira joined him, having vanished the second Minato showed up. He had only caught a glimpse of a blue tail and that was it.


End file.
